Convertible baby carriage and stroller



Jan. 10, 1950 Filed Jan. 25, 1949 Patented Jan. 10, 1956 CONVERTIBLE BABY CARRIAGE AND STROLLER Walter L. Rancher, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Helen Rancher, Chicago, Ill.

Application January 25, 1949, Serial No. 72,701

' The current invention pertains to certain novel structural improvements and functional or operative betterments in juvenile or infant conveyances, such as baby carriages or strollers, or rather in both of such devices, in that it represents a combination of the two appliances, where- 6 Claims. (Cl. 280-34) by the new vehicle can be modified or changed by reason of the innovatory characteristics supplied by the invention thus rendering the structure Obviously, the conveyance should be capable I of enlargement as. the child to be accommodated therein naturally increases in size and proper care of the temperature and volume of the air having access to the occupant of the vehicle is necessary for the comfort, safety and health of the child, and all of these features are properly cared for by the employment of the instant in vention.

The new device can be used under certain circumstances also to accommodate packages or other bodies such as groceries, etc., in addition to the child.

In order that those skilled in this art may have full knowledge of the mechanical properties of the new device and the accompanying benefits incorporating the present invention may be readily understood, a current preferred embodiment of the invention in satisfactory, convenlent, and desirable physical form has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing described in the following specification and in which drawing like parts or elements have been supplied with the same reference numerals throughout the several figures of the drawing.

In such drawing:

Figure l is a side view of the new appliance in one only of its several adjustments in full lines;

Figure 2 shows a fragmentary perspective view of the novel rear portion of the main body of the vehicle;

Figure .3 presents a perspective view of the back part of the carriage with its elements in a somewhat different partially folded relation;

Figure 4 displays a view similar to that of different fully folded or converted condition;

Figure 5 portrays a perspective view of the foldable or hinged back-wall of the carriage in an unsecured or unlocked condition; and

Figure 6 depicts a vertical section on line 6-6 of Figure 2, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring first to Figure 1, it will be noted that In is the ordinary or well-known wheelequipped chassis of the baby carriage, ll constituting that part of the vehicle by which it is manually pushed and guided, l2 comprising the main bod of the carriage mounted on such chassis 10, #3 being its foldable or adjustable foot well hinged in any approved manner at M on the body of the vehicle for use in lowered relation as presented in Figure 1, or in raised position covering the front of the body l2, and 15 being its collapsible longitudinally adjustable hood, all of which, so far as displayed in such figure, being of well-known, ordinary or any suitable usual construction.

and capacity to sit upright or recline more or .less while in the vehicle.

r This base 9 of such main body may be'formed of an underlayer of suitable material, such as real or artificial leather 9|, equipped with a superposed sheet 92 of stiii material, the two layers being secured together in any approved manner (Fig. 6).

Such back I! may be held upright or in one or more rearwardl sloping relations by the application of apertures in its two tabs l9, l9 (Figs. 2 and 5) over fixed studs 2|, 2| on rigid members 22, 22 (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6) of the vehicle. In Figure 2 the straps or tabs l9, 19 are shown broken away so as to better portray other portions of the structure.

An infant will ordinarily begin to sit up in the carriage at from eight to twelve months of age and thereafter, as a rule, does not sleep in the carriage.

Then, the compartment about to be described, behind the child, becomes a handy carry-all for packages, groceries, etc. (Figs. 2 and 6) Figure 3 with the elements thereof in still a ll When the child becomes older, the mother ordinarily does not usually wish to push a fullsize baby carriage and she then collapses the convertible back, as shown in Fig. 4, to obtain a regular stroller as indicated in full lines in Figure 1.

But, if she decides to do her shopping she can convert the collapsible back or extension into a package carrier at a moments notice and without disturbing th'e'cliildscomfdrt.

This feature 'is capable of being satisfactorily used on collapsible, semi-collapsible and other carriages.

It comprises two foldable, flexible, air-tight and rain-tight side-walls 23, 23 of any suitable or al propriate material, such as leather, a substantially rigid, thin, rectangular erre -wanes, preferably integral with the rear ends of sidewalls--23, 23 and a suitably supported foldable bottom-wall 25, all of such four walls being substantially rectangular or square. 7

Such bottom-wall 25 -may consist of a lower layer 21 of suitable material, such as-ieatheror fabric, and desirably forming an integral extension-of the material-9i forming part'of base 9 of the main body of thecarriage, this same material also forming an integral part of the back-wall 24 whichwallfis desirably provided with a stiffening stratum 20 fastened thereto, the bottom wall or extension 25 having "a stiffening layer 25 fastened to the stratum 21.

This rearward extension having the three upstanding walls 23,23, 24, is supported in the relation shown in Figure fi-by a metallic U-shape d yoke 28 on whoseintermediate straight section 29 the bottom-Wall 25 rests adjacent to the metallic bar ,3lfastened to the bottomof wall 25, (Figs. 4 and 6) and is of a length widerthan the distance between the two sidesof suchyoke, the yoke 23 having itsupperends curved at I28 and rockingly mountedin ;any approved manner at the two points 129 (Figsp2 and 6) so that it may swing vertically.

When the vehicle is to accommodate a very younginfant-on a pad or cushion and the foot well is in the upper dotted-position shown in Figure -1 forming a forward extension of themain body of the'carriaga the back I! may beretained in upright position and under these conditionsthe space to the rear of such wall ll may or may-not be employed for the: accommodation of packages or othr articles, the parts of such extension hav ing beenunfolded and occupying'the relation-s shown in'Figures 2 and 6, the top of such compartment being covered, protec ted, and concealed by the hood l which may be partially folded temporarily to permitacce ss to such space.

OnEthe other hand, if such extension space is needed for occupation by such child the wall ll may be releasedand folded down on top of its bottom-wall 25 and be occupied in part by the child, supplemented, if desired, by one or more packages or articles.

To convert the vehicle into a stroller, in which case the child sits up in the carriageinstead of lying down therein, the back-wall i1 is held erect and maybe turned down on the bottom 25 of the extensionwhich has previously beenlowered into place and supported by'itsyoke 28, as presented in-Figures-2 and-6.

'Thereaftergthe back-wall 24 turned down on top of'wall ll, the'two flexible sidewalls-23 being folded into triangular halves (Figure 3) andthen the bottchmvall 251s folded upeiectsu'ch previ- ('J'l'isly folded sectiohs of the 'si'de-walls pass ing folwardly into' the main body ef' thecai'i iage, whereupon the' yoke'28 'swirfgsddwn cavemen position tom-wall is prevented from rocking down out of place because the yoke 28 by engagement of its cross-rod 3| prevents such an occurrence.

It will be appreciated also that neither of the side-walls 23 are visible from the outside of .the vehicle under these conditions.

If, however, the one handling the vehicle desires to use the extension for the accommodation of purchases, it can be readily unfolded and used for that purpose-employing the backwall I! in place by its straps, as shown-inFigures 2 and 6.

From theforegoing description it will be readily seen-thatI have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention presented herein, but'while such specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the appliancestill in practice such deviations from such details maybe-resorted to without departing from the heart-and spirit of the invention as evidenced by the appended claims, or, stated otherwise, various -minor changes could be made in various features without sacrificing the heart and essence of the invention as defined bythe claims :herewith :presented:

In some instances the-material known to the trade as leatherette, which'is a weather-proof material,can be conveniently and suitably used as that referred to as real or artificial leather in constructing the portion-of the vehicle-constituting the current invention.

I-claim:

1. In a convertible baby carriage having 'a wheel chassis, a mainbody having a base and upstanding side-walls'on said chassis, a hood on said main body, a back-rest hinged transversely on said base torockthereon, and means to hold said back rest'in adjusted positions,-the novel combination'of arigid rearward base-extension hinged transversely on said basein substantially longitudinal registration with said base, flexible side walls in register substantially with the side walls'of said main-body, an upstanding rigid back-wall of said extension hinged transversely'on said extension and connecting the rear edges of the side-Walls of said extension, means to support said extension 'in substantial horizontal register with the base of said main body whereby sai'cl baek rest of said main body may be'folded down entosaidextension, said extension back-wall then folded down onto said main body back-rest o'n said'extension'causing folding of said extension side-walls, said'extension and itssuperposed-bachand back-rest then folded up totake the form-er place of said main back-rest, said extension side-walls passing into the main body' ofthe carriage thereby, whereupon the supporting means for said extension may be moved against said extension'to hold it in pEaceQthe baby carriagehaving been thus converted into a stroller.

'2. The construction presented' in claim 1, in which said back-rest" when folded down flat on -.the base--exten'si6n to be-occupied by a part of the child when the child is in full length position, the space provided by the extension and its walls including its rockable back-rest when in upright position being capable of use for accommodating packages and sundry articles.

3. The novel combination set forth in claim 1, in which such means for holding said extension in its two different positions comprises a U- shaped hinged element and a bar fastened to said extension and projecting beyond the sides of said U-shaped element.

4. The novel combination set forth in claim 1, in which the baby carria e has a foot well adjustably mounted at the front of the carriage to be used as a closure for the front end of the carriage or in a lower position for the accommodation of the feet of the occupant when the carriage is in the form of a stroller.

5. The novel combination set forth in claim 1, in which portions of the base of the main body of the carriage, the base of the extension, and the back wall of the extension are integral.

6. The novel combination set forth in claim 1, in which the side-Walls of the main body of the carriage and the side-walls of the extension are integral.

WALTER L. RAUCHER.

Name Date Brown May 26, 1931 Number 

